a blog by Brendan & Brendan

Category Archives: Canada

Let’s face it, winter is here and we cannot do anything about it. It’s easier to be lazy and snuggle with your warm, cozy blanket with a bowl of chips and hot chocolate, while watching TV shows all day. An easy excuse to hibernate than to exercise.

“Is winter out to get us?” the Irish actor, Chris O’Dowd as a weatherman says.

The weatherman then presents various winter sports that features athletes who train and perform during winter, whether you are out in the soccer field or inside an ice rink. He also, ironically describes the effects of the cold on a human body by exaggerating of what would ‘happen’ to you. His corniness adds a flair of comedy to the campaign while simultaneously showing athletes how Nike’s new line is efficient.

Additionally, the ad is promoting Nike’s new line of products called ‘Nike Hyperwarm.’ The ads show how their new winter gear is beneficial and effective, how the fabric is made to keep you dry, and warm, and their fit is streamlined so you can have full range of motion, effective performance and are comfortable.

The approach is to tackle a dilemma that everyone faces during winter whether you are a professional athlete or not. With Nike Hyperwarm, everyone can keep training and exercise harder. “You can’t choose the weather, but you can choose your winter,” Nike stated. Basically, as their slogan says, “Just Do it.”

Today marks Canada’s Remembrance Day. Millions of Canadians gathered across Canada to honour and remember the soldiers, sailors, and airmen and women who have served and protected the country. A ceremony is held to honour their bravery and patriotism. This includes the national anthem “O Canada,” the “Last Post” is played to begin the remembrance memorial service, which follows a two-minute silence at 11 a.m., and then speeches to show appreciation to ‘them’.

Remembrance Day marks two significant historical events – World War I that ended on November 11th, 1918 and World War II that ended in September 2nd, 1945. It is also known as Poppy Day, which signifies the red broaches of poppies that are worn by citizens on the left (next to the heart), starting two weeks before Remembrance Day. There is a poem by Maria Andrew that talks about poppies and in one of the sentences it is stated, “Red poppies can glow like bright little lamps,” which symbolizes how we will remember them. Additionally, whoever served in those harsh times, will glow bright today and honor their courageousness and devotion.

Canadian news outlets such as CTV News and the CBC have been live-blogging all day since this morning, where people have been tweeting, posting videos and pictures to acknowledge this memorial service whether or not they knew someone:

One excellent poem that demonstrates the importance of honouring this day was written by Moira Michael in November, 1918. Her words are vividly beautiful and poetical to the point that you feel the intensity of her emotions crawling out of the words.

We Shall Keep the Faith

“Oh! You who sleep in Flanders Fields,

Sleep sweet – to rise anew!
We caught the torch you threw
And holding high, we keep the Faith
With All who died.

We cherish, too, the poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led;
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies,
But lends a lustre to the red
Of the flower that blooms above the dead
In Flanders Fields.

And now the Torch and Poppy Red
We wear in honor of our dead.
Fear not that ye have died for naught;
We’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought
In Flanders Fields.”